PRAGUE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Hungary's forint dipped for a

third straight session and the Czech crown was stuck on the weak

side of a psychological level, with markets looking toward a new

round of inflation readings.

The Hungarian and Czech central banks have been the most

active among central European peers in easing policy since last

year but are beginning to slow or possibly pause their steady

diet of interest rate cuts.

Investors will focus on inflation readings from both

countries on Tuesday. Analysts expect Hungarian inflation cooled

in August after price growth picked up for only the second time

this year in July.

Hungary's central bank (MNB) paused last month after 15

consecutive rate cuts but left the door open to possibly one or

two more cuts this year.

"Given our relatively dovish views on inflation, we continue

to expect policy rates to decline by more than the MNB is

guiding," Goldman Sachs said in a note, "but we acknowledge that

external risks, in particular Forint volatility, continue to act

as the 'binding constraint' on the pace of rate reduction."

The forint, whose weakness in recent months has

been a constraint on the central bank, fell 0.15% to 394.85 to

the euro on Monday.

The forint had tested a more than one-year low near 400 to

the euro at the beginning of August but is now around 1%

stronger.

The crown, too, is stronger since the Czech

National Bank last met at the beginning of August and slowed its

pace of rate cuts to a standard 25-basis-point step.

Analysts expect Czech inflation in August eased back to the

bank's 2% target, while markets continue to bet on chances of

another rate cut this month.

The crown was flat around 25.029 per euro, unable

to firmly break past the 25 level since early July despite U.S.

dollar weakness of late supporting central European currencies.

"The markets are still rather driven by the global story,

but we believe inflation numbers in the region could set

the direction for FX," ING said.

Elsewhere, the Polish zloty and Romanian leu

were both little changed.

Bond yields ticked up in Poland and the Czech Republic, with

the latter's benchmark 10-year yield snapping a

four-day fall and bid just below 3.70%, around its lowest since

mid-August.

CEE SNAPSHOT AT

MARKETS 1036

CET

CURRENCIES

Latest Previo Daily Change

us

trade close change in 2024

Czech 0

Hungary 00

Polish Romania Serbian 00

Note: calculated from 1800 CET

daily

change

Latest Previo Daily Change

us

close change in 2024

Prague 1585.11 1591.9 -0.43% +12.10

000 %

Budapes 72177.68 72297. -0.17% +19.07

t 19 %

Warsaw 0

Buchare 17557.98 17388. +0.97% +14.23

st 74 %

Spread Daily

vs Bund change

in

Czech spread

Republi

c

Poland

FORWARD RATE

AGREEMENTS

3x6 6x9 9x12 3M

interba

nk

Czech Hungary Poland Note: are for ask prices

FRA

quotes

************************************************

**************